Men's Basketball Meets Navy For First Time Monday
11/29/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Quinnipiac University Bobcats (3-1) at
United States Naval Academy Midshipmen
(2-4)
Monday, Nov. 30, 2009 - 7 p.m.
Alumni Hall - Annapolis,
Md.
Bobcats Clash With Navy For First Time Monday
The Quinnipiac University men's basketball team returns to
action Monday, when it travels to Annapolis, Maryland, to take on
the United States Naval Academy. The Bobcats are coming off a 59-46
victory at Maine on Tuesday, when James Johnson scored 16 points
and Jeremy Baker compiled his first career double-double with 10
points and 10 rebounds. Navy fell in overtime to NEC preseason
favorite Mount St. Mary's, 65-56, on Saturday. Monday's game
signifies the first-ever meeting between Navy and Quinnipiac in
men's basketball.
Scouting the Navy Midshipmen
The Midshipmen (2-4) are led by Chris Harris, whose 20.0
points per game leads Navy. He's also averaged a team-high 1.7
steals per game. When Harris has scored 20 points or more, Navy has
won. When he's been held to less than 20, Navy has lost. Jordan
Sugars is a powerful guard with a nice shooting touch, averaging
14.7 points and a team-high 8.3 rebounds while shooting 51.5
percent (17-33) from long range. O.J. Avworo has proven to be a
capable point guard at 5.0 assists per game.
Last Time Against Navy
The Bobcats and Midshipmen have never met.
Last Time Out Against Maine
James Johnson hit a career-high four three-pointers in six
attempts as part of a 16-point performance as the Bobcats defeated
Maine, 59-46, in Orono, Maine. Jeremy Baker added his first career
double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, while Justin Rutty
added 14 points.
On The Air
Monday's game can be heard live on AM 1220 WQUN and
www.quinnipiacbobcats.com. Bill Schweizer will have the
play-by-play call while Bill Mecca will provide color commentary.
Navy will also provide a live video stream through its athletics
website, www.navysports.com. The cost of the live video webcast is
$9.95. Navy's athletics website will also provide live stats at no
cost. To access live audio, video and stats, please click on the
appropriate links on the men's basketball schedule on
www.quinnipiacbobcats.com.
Getting Defensive
The Bobcats held Maine to just 30.6 percent (19-62)
shooting on Nov. 24, including just 25.9 percent (7-27) in the
second half. The Black Bears converted just two of 16 three-point
attempts (12.5 percent).
Bo Knows Offense
James Johnson scored 16 points, including 4-for-6 shooting
from long range, at Maine. The output was just one point off his
previous career high of 17 points, scored twice last season. After
averaging 9.8 points in garnering NEC All-Rookie Team honors as a
freshman in 2008-09, Johnson is the only Bobcat to score in double
figures in each of QU's four games this year.
Bo Knows Defense
James Johnson has drawn the opponent's greatest scoring
threat in each of this season's games, having success on each
occasion. He held two of the top scoring threats in the America
East Conference in Hartford's Joe Zeglinski and Maine's Gerald
McLemore scoreless in the second half of both games. Meanwhile,
Lehigh's Marquis Hall scored just nine points against Johnson. Only
Yale's Alex Zampier had a strong statistical performance against
Johnson with 29 points. However, Quinnipiac Head Coach lauded both
Johnson's defense in the game, as the latter forced Zampier to
convert on several low-percentage shots.
On the Rebound
Quinnipiac has outrebounded each of its opponents this
season, and owns a +9.0 rebounding margin.
Shoot Better, Win More
The Bobcats have won 15 consecutive games when outshooting
their opponent since the end of the 2007-08 season.
Rutty Named NEC, CT 6 Player of the Week
For his average of 21.0 points and 11.0 rebounds in the
Bobcats' 1-1 week, Justin Rutty was named both the Choice
Hotels NEC Player of the Week and the Connecticut 6 Player of
the Week. Rutty scored 19 points and added eight rebounds in a loss
at Lehigh, before exploding for 23 points and 14 rebounds, 10 on
the offensive glass, at Yale.
Downright Offensive
Justin Rutty scored 23 points and grabbed 10 of his 14
rebounds on the offensive glass in the Bobcats' Nov. 21 victory
over local rival Yale. Rutty, the nation's top returning offensive
rebounder from a year ago, averaged 4.6 offensive rebounds per
game. That figure was bested only by current San Antonio Spurs
forward DeJuan Blair, who averaged 5.6 offensive rebounds per game
last season at Pittsburgh.
Rebounding First
Led by Justin Rutty's 10 offensive rebounds, the Bobcats
grabbed 24 offensive rebounds at Yale, the most by a Quinnipiac
team since the school entered Division I play in 1998-99. Jamee
Jackson added four offensive boards and James Johnson also had
three. In total, seven QU players had at least one offensive
rebound.
Clutch Free-Throw Shooting
With Yale closing in quickly on Quinnipiac's lead down the
stretch on Nov. 21 in New Haven, James Johnson and James Feldeine
stepped to the charity stripe and combined to go 10-for-10 in the
final minute and a half of play.
Feldeine Gets Fifth
James Feldeine compiled his fifth career double-double
with 22 points and 10 rebounds at Lehigh, Nov. 18. In addition to
the Lehigh game, he had one double-double in 2007-08 and three in
2008-09.
Rutty Rebounds Against Lehigh
Justin Rutty bounced back from a foul-plagued, five-point,
five-rebound performance against Hartford to score 19 points on
9-12 shooting and add eight rebounds at Lehigh.
Early Impressions
The Bobcats have gotten strong contributions from a trio
of its first-year players. Junior transfer Deontay Twyman scored 12
points in his Quinnipiac debut against Hartford. After playing
solid defense with two blocks in his Bobcats debut, freshman Jamee
Jackson went for nine points and seven rebounds at Lehigh and
grabbed 10 rebounds at Yale. Finally, Dave Johnson has shown the
ability to spell James Johnson at point guard without Quinnipiac
missing a beat.
Johnson's Elite Company
James Johnson began an impressive streak when he started
last season's opener against Hartford. The point guard became just
the eighth freshman in QU Division I history to start his
collegiate debut. Johnson went on to start all 31 of Quinnipiac's
games, joining just 19 other freshmen in the nation to start every
game their team played in 2008-09. With the start in each of this
season's contests, Johnson has stretched the streak to his first 35
games as a Bobcat. Each player to start his first game and complete
four years with the Bobcats has scored over 1,000 points. Rob
Monroe, Bill Romano and Jared Grasso started their first games and
rank first, second and fifth, respectively, on the Bobcats D-I
scoring list. Johnson joined teammates Justin Rutty and Evann Baker
as current players who started their debuts, while Job Casimir and
Casey Cosgrove were in the starting line-up for their initial
contests, but transferred prior to completion of four seasons in
Hamden.
Saying "No" To Joe
The Quinnipiac defense once again clamped down on
Hartford's Joe Zeglinski, one of the most potent scorers in the
America East Conference. After scoring 12 points in the first half
of this year's meeting, aided by a 30-foot desperation heave off
glass that fell at the halftime buzzer, the Bobcats didn't allow
Zeglinski another point in the second half. The Bobcats held the
2007-08 First-Team All-America East selection to just two points on
1-for-10 shooting on Nov. 14, 2008. Zeglinski's career scoring
average was 14.6 points entering the contest. He had reached
double-figures in 34 of his prior 37 games. The output tied
Zeglinski's career low, set during his freshman season, Feb. 3,
2007, at Boston University.
Moore of the Same
Head Coach Tom Moore has won the season opener in each of
his three years at QU, all coming against Hartford. Prior to
Moore's arrival to Hamden, no Quinnipiac team had won its first
game of the season during the school's Division I era. Teams that
have had Moore serving on the coaching staff have won 10
consecutive season openers. The last time one of Moore's teams
didn't win its first game was Nov. 11, 1999, when defending
National Champion and top-ranked UConn was upset by Iowa in the
Coaches vs. Cancer IKON Classic. None of Quinnipiac's other five
coaches all-time won their first three season openers, and only
Burt Kahn won three straight at any point. Kahn won three straight
three times, including six straight from 1967-68 through
1972-73.
QU Picked Second In CT6 Poll
Quinnipiac was picked second in the Preseason Connecticut
6 Coaches' Poll. Fairfield claimed the top spot, while Sacred Heart
immediately followed the Bobcats in third. Central Connecticut,
Yale and Hartford rounded out the poll.
Rutty Picked To Preseason CT6 Team
Justin Rutty was selected as Quinnipiac's representative
on the Preseason Connecticut 6 Team. Joining Rutty were CCSU's
Shemik Thompson, Fairfield's Anthony Johnson, Hartford's Joe
Zeglinski, Sacred Heart's Corey Hassan and Yale's Alex Zampier.
Bobcats Third In NEC Coaches' Poll
The Northeast Conference's coaches selected the Bobcats to
finish tied for third in the league this season. Mount St. Mary's
claimed the top spot, followed by Long Island. Robert Morris was
selected to tie QU for third, while Central Connecticut ranked
fifth. Sacred Heart, St. Francis (N.Y.), Fairleigh Dickinson,
Monmouth, Wagner, Bryant and Saint Francis (Pa.) rounded out the
poll.
Rutty Recognized Among The Best
Justin Rutty was recognized among the Northeast
Conference's best players when the league's coaches named him to
the Preseason All-Conference Team. Rutty, who earned All-NEC First
Team honors in 2008-09, joined Central Connecticut's Ken Horton,
Long Island's Jaytornah Wisseh, Mount St. Mary's Jeremy Goode and
Robert Morris' Rob Robinson on the team.
Honored For Improvement
James Feldeine was honored by the NEC's coaches with the
inaugural NEC Most Improved Player Award in 2008-09. Feldeine went
from a seldom-used freshman (0.6 ppg) to a solid contributor as a
sophomore (8.3 ppg) and eventually led the league in scoring (17.0
ppg) as a junior. Feldeine was also named to the All-NEC Second
Team.
Rutty Rewarded On First Team
Justin Rutty was named to the All-NEC First Team after
leading the league in rebounds (9.8 rpg) and offensive rebounds
(4.6). One of the most dominant low post threats in the league,
Rutty also averaged 14.8 points per game and compiled a league-best
13 double-doubles. Rutty's selection marked the first time in the
last five years that a sophomore earned first-team recognition. The
last sophomore to land among the top five players in the league at
year's end was Fairleigh Dickinson's Gordon Klaiber in 2003-04.
Bo Knows The All-Rookie Team
James Johnson was named to the NEC All-Rookie Team after
averaging 9.8 points, 4.1 assists and 1.5 steals as a freshman. He
was the only Bobcat to start all 31 games and compiled a 1.48
assist-to-turnover ratio.
Moore Awards
Quinnipiac Head Coach Tom Moore was selected as the
collegeinsider.com Northeast Conference Coach of the Year for
guiding an injury-riddled Bobcats team to the NEC Tournament
Semifinals last season.
O-T is O-K
The Bobcats faced overtime just twice in 2008-09 and won
both times. Quinnipiac defeated Army, 66-64, Nov. 17, before
outlasting Long Island in the NEC Tournament Quarterfinals, 86-78,
March 5.
Twelve of Fifteen
The Bobcats took 12 of their 15 wins while allowing 69
points or less in 2008-09.
In The Bobcats' Defense...
Quinnipiac ranked first in the NEC in field-goal
percentage defense (.407) and third in scoring defense (63.4) in
conference games last season.
Bobcats Atop NEC Stats In 08-09
In 2008-09, Bobcats James Feldeine (17.0 ppg) and Justin
Rutty (9.8 rpg) led the Northeast Conference in points and rebounds
per game, respectively, making the Bobcats the NEC's first team to
have the league's leader in both categories since 1994-95, when
LIU's Joe Griffin took both crowns. The last time different players
from the same team took both the scoring and rebounding titles was
the 1986-87 season, when Wagner's Terrance Bailey led the league in
scoring average and Largest Agbejemisin paced all rebounders. One
team has now had a player or players lead the league in both
categories just eight times, including just four times that a
different player from the same team has led the league in each
category.
Feldeine Fillin' It Up
While the Bobcats lost DeMario Anderson to graduation and
his personal double-digit points streak ended at an NEC-record 48
games, James Feldeine took over Anderson's role as a consistent
double-figure scorer last season. Feldeine reached a 10th point in
30 of the Bobcats' 31 games.
On the Rebound
The Bobcats offensive rebounding prowess (15.06 per game -
1st-NEC, 8th NCAA) resulted in holding opponents to 32.1 rebounds
per game (2nd-NEC) and a +6.0 rebounding margin (1st-NEC) in
2008-09.
Fine To Be Feldeine
James Feldeine ranked among the NEC's best in several
categories last season. He was first in scoring at 17.0 points per
game and 10th in rebounds (6.0). His 4.35 defensive boards per game
were ninth and his 74.5 free-throw percentage was 11th. His 1.68
steals per game were sixth and his 2.35 assists per game were
17th.
Regular For Rutty
Justin Rutty shot 60.4 percent (194-for-321)(2nd-NEC) last
season, besting his NEC-leading 59.0 percent average of a year
earlier.
On Deck
The Bobcats return to action Wednesday, when they travel
to Amherst, Mass., to face the University of Massachusetts. Opening
tip from the Mullins Center is scheduled for 7 p.m.
